News and Notes

Community

The Kessler Theater will host the inaugural Oak Cliff Music Festival from noon-8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3. Acts announced so far are Carolyn Wonderland, Alejandro Escovedo and Joe Ely Band. General admission tickets cost $12 in advance or $20 the day of the show. VIP tickets cost $25 in advance and $35 on the day of the show. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Winnetka Heights Neighborhood Association.

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The Dallas Zoo is looking for help for its Halloween Nights events Oct. 25-28. Volunteers will walk around in professional costumes and hand out candy. Contact the Volunteer Services Department to participate.

People

Michael Amonett, Old Oak Cliff Conservation League past president and Advocate contributor, has been appointed to the Dallas Landmark Commission. City Councilman Scott Griggs appointed Amonett to the commission in August. As president of the conservation league, Amonett developed our neighborhood’s “architecture at risk” list. He also helped in the fight to preserve the old Adamson High School and the ultimately failed effort to prevent demolition of the Oak Cliff Christian Church to make way for tennis courts serving the new Adamson. He has written about historic preservation and urban planning for the Advocate, including a piece about the old Humble Service Station on Zang, which is set to be demolished to make way for a beer-and-wine store.

Oak Cliff’s own Jason Roberts was honored as a Champion of Change at the White House for his work on the Better Block. Roberts and business partner Andrew Howard are exhibiting at the Venice Bienniale of Architecture, which runs through November and is sort of like the Olympics or World’s Fair of design.

Education

Paul Benson, an English professor at Mountain View College, has won the Association of Community College Trustees 2012 Western Regional Faculty Award. He is also a nominee for the William H. Meardy Faculty Member Award.

Dallas County schools are now using cameras to identify cars that do not stop at school bus stop arms. Those identified can be fined $300.